Madlanga Commission: Medicare24 CEO’s evidence heard in absentia

[00:00:00]of the Madlala Commission today hearing evidence from Medicate 24 CEO Michael van Veeg, but it was read in his absence after a request to postpone his appearance was granted. Van Veeg has been linked to questionable deals in the Ekurhuleni Municipality. Previous testimony tied Van Veeg to alleged crime boss Vusi Muzi Khanyile Madlala and the suspended deputy EMPD head Julius Khumalo. News Africa's Junior Khumalo is in studio with us and he talks to us about what came out today and it has been nothing short of jaw-dropping fireworks.

[00:00:46]Let's start Junior with the whole blue lights saga because the SMS exchanges has laid that bare today including promises of someone getting some money in order to buy something for Christmas.

[00:01:07]So, take us there.

[00:01:08]>> Absolutely Golly, quite shocking testimony basically that came before the Madlala Commission today. Of course, Mike van Veeg himself not being present because of being granted that postponement based on the medical condition that he suffered a panic attack.

[00:01:23]Some are saying that maybe it was because of what was going to come out of the Madlala Commission today especially when it comes to those blue lights.

[00:01:30]That's where he became synonymous because this is the same person who was working with Khanyile Madlala together at Medicate 24. He owns the broader Medicate Holdings. Khanyile Madlala had a franchise Medicate 20 District 24. So, in in that company that's where they got that contract the 360 million rand contract.

[00:01:51]>> But you as a viewer watching that testimony Junior, you would be forgiven for thinking that it was actually Ket Metlala's company. This he's not the franchisor.

[00:02:04]>> Absolutely.

[00:02:05]>> Cuz even in the tender documents I told you that were submitted by Vusumuzi Ket Metlala to the SAPS, he does not mention that there is a third party behind this entire Medicare 24. He speaks about himself, speaks about how he wants that contract, does not mention that he got a franchise from someone else, which is according to what has appeared before the court is accused of fronting in that particular space. So, quite confusing.

[00:02:31]But when it comes to the blue light saga, of course Mike van Veck was front and center when it comes to the whole issue of the blue light saga. Vusumuzi Ket Metlala had a relationship with Julius Mkhwanazi, the now suspended EMPD deputy chief, but it was Mr. van Veck who even wrote a draft of that memorandum of understanding and then forwards it to Mkhwanazi. Mkhwanazi then signs that particular memorandum of understanding and then he uh basically grants them the right to use blue lights. And when it first came out, it seemed like it was only granted to Ket VIP Services. But today's testimony as well as testimony that has come before, it shows that this memorandum of understanding was with Ket VIP Services, was with Medicare Holdings, and was also with another security company called Annibus. This is a security company owned by Mr. van Veck. But all of this is interesting because when the two of them, van Veck as well as Mr. Metlala, find themselves hamstrung when it comes to cash, they don't have money because that Medicare contract was not paying them. They went to another person whose name has appeared before this particular commission, and that is businessman and taxi owner Steve Motshumi. And when Steve Motshumi then gives them 20 million rand, they do sign an agreement to say that we'll pay it back in installments, but what they also do is that they take that contract that they have with the in that MOU, and then also put Mr. Steve Motsoane's own companies and grant them the permission to also use blue lights. So, it was a whole web of companies that are now using blue lights. But, the commission was also trying to paint a picture to say it did not only end when it comes to blue lights. There was a lot of other illegal things that were happening. There's a letter statement text message that Van Wyk writes to Mr. Mkhwanazi and he says, "Can you please write a letter and say that we are working with you as a special unit within the EMPD and that the letter will be used then to get licenses for guns that he had already purchased." It's unclear what these guns were used for, whether it was the security company or their extracurricular activities that they seem to have been doing. But, let's take a listen to what the commissioners as well as the evidence leader had to say about the memorandum going beyond medical services.

[00:04:53]>> The third was that what Mr. Van Wyk had in mind was a was much broader than medical response.

[00:05:01]It was a specialized unit that was going to be dealing in addition to medical with crime response, drug busts.

[00:05:12]>> So, Junior, you've mentioned in your first explanation and part of the explanation includes this all too powerful figure that nobody, by the way, nobody in the media has been able to get a picture of.

[00:05:29]I I don't know what Steve Motsoane looks like and perhaps it continues to be a challenge for us to try and see this individual. I wonder whether he is actually going to be called before the commission. But, talking about other matters that clearly these people were involved in beyond blue lights.

[00:05:53]There is the element about drugs, selling drugs. Talk to us about that.

[00:05:59]What was that about?

[00:06:00]>> Absolutely, Kholeli. This also comes after the commission itself had been inundated for the past few weeks with that theme of drugs, drugs going missing in Isipingo as well as in Erleton. There seems to be a link when it comes to these drugs and the drugs that are in the WhatsApp messages between Mr. Matlala as well as Mr. Van Wyk. I say this because when you look at the insignia on the top of these drugs, it is an insignia that is written prestige.

[00:06:27]So, even in those drugs that were shown, whether it's Erleton or whatever, there were always an insignia on top of these bricks of drugs. So, today we saw Mr. Ket Matlala seemingly sending a video to Mr. Van Wyk. In that particular video, there are people that are weighing bricks of drugs. And after sending that particular video, he then asks a question to Van Wyk and says, "Can you get us a buyer?"

[00:06:50]There is then a response from Van Wyk and it's a voice note. It's It sounds like it's his voice, but of course, he still needs to appear before the Matlala Commission and admit to whether that is his voice or not. In that particular voice note, we can hear him saying that we will do 250,000.

[00:07:07]So, seemingly per brick, these were going for 250,000. But what the commission has done, it's not only limited to that because Van Wyk in his statement says that it was not his voice. He did not receive that particular video from Mr. Matlala. But the commission has gone and found a third individual who is also involved in that drug drug process and selling of drugs. This is the individual who had forwarded that video of people weighing the drugs to Mr. Vusumuzi Ket Matlala. And when he was found by the commission, he admitted that indeed this Uh, uh, there was communication between myself as well as Mr. Van Wyk. So, even if Mr. Van Wyk comes before the commission uh, commission and says that uh, that uh, video was never sent to him, there is a third party who has said under oath and submitted a statement to the commission to this uh, effect to say that he was part of all of this. Uh, but when it comes to Julius Malema, uh, all of the work that he seems to have done for Van Wyk, as well as Mr. Vusi Mona, came at a cost. Of course, he got something.

[00:08:08]There was that promise that I will give you money to buy some Christmas uh, clothing or whatever you need. But, let's take a listen to what Mr. Van Wyk himself had to say in a voice note and what the commissioners had to say about the bribe and the money that was exchanged.

[00:08:25]>> Um, now Now, we get to something which in in our view, it looks like a bribe that is paid by Mr. Van Wyk uh, to Commissioner Malema and Nazi um, in respect of these appointment cards and the uh, authorization of blue lights.

[00:08:58]>> So, Junior, let's conclude this because in your explanation, you just you're dropping bombshells as you bombshells as you go.

[00:09:07]Uh, I don't want you to leave us behind. So, let's conclude on this. Firstly, this third party that comes to confirm the alleged drug trade is that person mentioned? Do they um, ascribe a name to him or is it withheld in order to protect him? But, also Van Wyk is it likely to even appear before the Malema inquiry because as it was explained, he's He's now being placed in a psychiatric facility or institution. And there's no telling how long that might take.

[00:09:46]>> Absolutely, Koli. So, when it comes to this third party, they have only been referred to as the third party. So, the commission knows who this individual is.

[00:09:54]This individual has been in touch with the commission itself. They are doing so to protect this individual because of course these drugs also involve higher-ups when it comes to those in law enforcement as well. So, the commission for now at least they are withholding that name. But when it comes to Fani Vuyo Mkhwebane you are right. He is in a psychiatric facility. It's not clear how long he is going to stay there. The commission today did get a letter from the doctor who is assisting him through this particular process. But in that letter we were not told whether the doctor did specify in terms of when he might be available before the commission.

[00:10:32]>> Jeez. But these are panic attacks.

[00:10:35]>> Absolutely. So, on Sunday he met with his legal representative Sandi Du Plessis. And as they were going through how he's going to respond to the commission, that's where he suffered this panic attack. And he had then to be rushed to this psychiatric facility.

[00:10:51]>> Junior Khumalo, thank you very much indeed. Fascinating.

[00:10:55]It's just fascinating.